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Biomining in reverse gear: using bacteria to extract metals from oxidized ores

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Standard Standard

Biomining in reverse gear: using bacteria to extract metals from oxidized ores. / Johnson, D.B.; du Plessis, C.A.
In: Minerals Engineering, Vol. 75, No. 1, 01.05.2015, p. 2-5.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

HarvardHarvard

Johnson, DB & du Plessis, CA 2015, 'Biomining in reverse gear: using bacteria to extract metals from oxidized ores', Minerals Engineering, vol. 75, no. 1, pp. 2-5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mineng.2014.09.024

APA

Johnson, D. B., & du Plessis, C. A. (2015). Biomining in reverse gear: using bacteria to extract metals from oxidized ores. Minerals Engineering, 75(1), 2-5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mineng.2014.09.024

CBE

Johnson DB, du Plessis CA. 2015. Biomining in reverse gear: using bacteria to extract metals from oxidized ores. Minerals Engineering. 75(1):2-5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mineng.2014.09.024

MLA

Johnson, D.B. and C.A. du Plessis. "Biomining in reverse gear: using bacteria to extract metals from oxidized ores". Minerals Engineering. 2015, 75(1). 2-5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mineng.2014.09.024

VancouverVancouver

Johnson DB, du Plessis CA. Biomining in reverse gear: using bacteria to extract metals from oxidized ores. Minerals Engineering. 2015 May 1;75(1):2-5. Epub 2014 Nov 6. doi: 10.1016/j.mineng.2014.09.024

Author

Johnson, D.B. ; du Plessis, C.A. / Biomining in reverse gear: using bacteria to extract metals from oxidized ores. In: Minerals Engineering. 2015 ; Vol. 75, No. 1. pp. 2-5.

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Biomining in reverse gear: using bacteria to extract metals from oxidized ores

AU - Johnson, D.B.

AU - du Plessis, C.A.

PY - 2015/5/1

Y1 - 2015/5/1

N2 - Biomining, as traditionally practised, uses aerobic, acidophilic microorganisms to accelerate the oxidative dissolution of sulfide minerals present in ores and concentrates, thereby either causing target metals to be solubilised (e.g. copper) or made accessible to chemical extraction (e.g. gold). Many acidophiles are also able to catalyse the dissimilatory reduction of ferric iron in anoxic or oxygen-depleted environments, and can accelerate the reductive dissolution of ferric iron minerals, such as goethite, under such conditions. Recent work has demonstrated how this approach can be used to extract metals (nickel, copper, cobalt and manganese) from oxidised ores, such as laterites deposits, at low (∼30 °C) temperatures. Reductive mineral dissolution has been trialled successfully with a variety of ores, pointing to a generic application of this approach.

AB - Biomining, as traditionally practised, uses aerobic, acidophilic microorganisms to accelerate the oxidative dissolution of sulfide minerals present in ores and concentrates, thereby either causing target metals to be solubilised (e.g. copper) or made accessible to chemical extraction (e.g. gold). Many acidophiles are also able to catalyse the dissimilatory reduction of ferric iron in anoxic or oxygen-depleted environments, and can accelerate the reductive dissolution of ferric iron minerals, such as goethite, under such conditions. Recent work has demonstrated how this approach can be used to extract metals (nickel, copper, cobalt and manganese) from oxidised ores, such as laterites deposits, at low (∼30 °C) temperatures. Reductive mineral dissolution has been trialled successfully with a variety of ores, pointing to a generic application of this approach.

U2 - 10.1016/j.mineng.2014.09.024

DO - 10.1016/j.mineng.2014.09.024

M3 - Article

VL - 75

SP - 2

EP - 5

JO - Minerals Engineering

JF - Minerals Engineering

SN - 0892-6875

IS - 1

ER -